It’s all hands-on deck at the National Trust’s Godolphin House near Helston, as the dedicated team of staff and volunteers are work hard to create a traditional Cornish Christmas which incorporates the estate’s mining history.
Handmade decorations will form displays in the house alongside foliage from the garden and estate, and five Scot’s Pine trees, grown on the Godolphin Estate, will form the centre pieces of the Christmas décor - including an impressive 10ft tree in the historic King’s Room.
Included in the decorations are more than 500 paper stars, which will fill the Kings Room with tin and copper toned sparkles, and hand-crafted engine house lanterns - evoking Godolphin’s industrial past.
"This is something we have not done before, so we hope people enjoy the display of stars as much as we enjoyed making them.
"We are so grateful to our dedicated team of volunteers who help us create this much-loved event - a highlight in Godolphin’s seasonal calendar every year."
These weekends will also be filled with seasonal song as local choirs and music groups from across West Cornwall perform under the colonnades of the house and inside the King’s Room.
Visitors will also have the opportunity to create their own handmade decoration with the return of the popular pomander making activity, and families can get creative with Christmas crafts in the Cider House and an outdoor hibernation themed trail in the garden.
Christmas at Godolphin is free for National Trust members, normal admission applies for non-members.
To book tickets visit www.nationaltrust.org.uk/visit/cornwall/godolphin/christmas-at-godolphin
Christmas schedule
Christmas house experience
Explore Godolphin house traditionally decorated for the festive season. Have a go at making your own pomander decoration in the dining room to take home with you or gift to a loved one, and enjoy festive hot drinks, mulled wine and mince pies.
Godolphin House is open from 10.30am - 4pm (final entry 3pm) on the following weekends:
Saturday 30 November and Sunday 1 December.
Saturday 7 and Sunday 8 December.
Saturday 14 and Sunday 15 December.
Note: Mulled wine and mince pies purchased inside Godolphin House will be cash only. Card payments are accepted in the Piggery tea-room for food and drink purchased there.
Christmas choirs
As part of the Christmas House weekends you can enjoy the performances of local musical groups who will be filling Godolphin with their performances of Christmas carols and music.
Choir performances are:
Saturday 30 November - The Mount's Bay Singers, between 12pm - 1pm.
Saturday 7 December - The Celtic Fiddlers, between 2pm-3pm.
Sunday 8 December - The Four Lanes Male Choir, between 1.30pm - 3pm.
Saturday 14 December - Townshend Community Choir, between 12pm - 1pm.
Sunday 15 December - Pip Wright's Community Choirs, between 12pm - 1.30pm.
Guided Tours
If you prefer a quieter wander through the house this Christmas, you can join one of the exclusive house tours and see Godolphin decorated for Christmas as part of a small group guided by one of the estate's volunteers.
Tours will take place every Monday, Wednesday and Friday, between December 2 and December 13. Tours will start at 11am and 1pm.
Tickets for these tours are issued on arrival at the Welcome Hut, numbers are limited. There is no booking.
Candle and Lip Balm making in Godolphin House
Join Godolphin's resident bee keeper and make your own bees wax candles using wax harvested from her hives, and take away your festive creations to give as gifts or enjoy for yourself.
Watch her demonstration on making other bees wax products that you can make at home. Workshops take place in the entrance hall of Godolphin House.
Tickets are £25, which includes hot drinks and sweet treats.
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